Portable workstand



Jan. 6, 1953 w. J. TILTON 2,624,590

PORTABLE WORKSTAND Filed Nov. 7, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Fig.

0 I fl" 1|" 7 B' 43 86 88 90 Will/hm J. Ti/Ion IN V EN TOR.

W and Fwy 35% Jan 6, 1953 w. J. TILTON PORTABLE WORKSTAND 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed NOV 7, 1947 4 8 0 6 8 0 4 5 4 4 5 4 1% k JR c a. \m 4 A 7% 6 M w n u 0 8 5 6 la 9. 4

a2 as 88 g4 William J. Til/an INVENTOR.

M -Mm Patented Jan. 6, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE WORKSTAND Wii'liam'J. Tilton, South Milwaukee, Wis.

Application November 7, 1947, Serial No. 784,702

4' Claims.

This invention relates to new and, useful improvements in work stands and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a work stand including novel and improved meansfor selectively actuating wheel means pivotally carried by the same so that the stand will be supported by the wheel means and may be conveniently moved to a position for use.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a portable, work stand including a frame so designed as to facilitate the same to be partially extended beneath a vehicle or the like to afford maximum safe support to a user standing upon said stand.

A further object of, the present invention is to provide a, portable stand including an elevated platform and novel and improved means for safely ascending said platform.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a, portable work stand that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, neat and attractive in appearance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages residein the details. of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1. is a side elevational View showing the present stand in positionfor use relative to a vehicle, and showing the wheel means in a normally raised position;

Figure 2 is a sidev elevational view of the present stand and showing the wheel means in a lowered position for movement of the stand;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a front elevational' view of the present stand, taken substantially in the: direction of the arrow numbered 4 in Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein, for the purpose of illustration, thereis disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral It represents a substantially rectangular upper frame that is retained spaced parallel to a similar lower frame l2 by connecting bars 14 that are rig-idly secured to the forward, opposed corners It of each of said frames Ill and i2. The lower ends of these bars 14 project downwardly from the lower frame It to provide forward legs or feet I8 that support the forward portions of the frames l and I2 in an elevated position.

Rigidlysecured" to the rear corners 20 of the frames ill and 12, to retain the frames spaced parallel to each other, is a pair of upwardly and forwardly inclined, spaced parallel side rails, or inclined supports 22 between which there are fixedly secured a plurality of substantially horizonally extending spaced parallel rungs or steps 24. The lower terminals of the side rails 22 project downwardly from the lower frame 12' to pro vide rear feet or legs 26, the, lower extremities of which are coplanar. with the lower extremities of legs l8.

Projecting upwardly from the frames I0 and I2 is a pair. of spaced parallel,substantiallyv vertical, rigid supports or standards 28 to which there are fixedly secured upwardly and forwardly inclined portions 30 of a further pair of, supports 32 that are spaced parallel to the standards 28; The upper terminals 3 3, 36,. and 38 on the inclined supports 22, the standards 28and the sup.- ports 32 terminate coplanar and are rigidly secured to a substantially rectangular platform til having a preferably resilient wearing surface or padding 32 on its upper face.

It should be noted that the forward transverse end d3 of, the platform it terminates well rearwardly from the rear portions of the frames I0 and I2, for a purpose which will later be more fully described.

Pivoted to the legs 18' are the leg portions: 44" of a substantially U-shaped' member 4'6 that supports a pair of casters it having wheels 50.

Rigidly connectin the inclined supports 22 and the supports 28 is an upper connecting bar 52- and. a lower connecting bar 5d". Pivoted on the lower connecting bar 54 are the end portions, 56 of a pair of substantially V-shaped actuating levers 58,, the upper terminals 66) of which support a hand-gripping bar E52 that normally bears upon the wearing surface t2 adjacent the forward end $3 of the platform 40.

The numeral 6 3 represents a pair of'main, links that are pivoted adjacent their forward ends to the longitudinal sides of the upper frame Hi. The forward ends t6 of't'heselinks 6 3 are pivoted to pivotal links 6.8 that: are carried by the freeextremities of the leg portions 4'3 of the member it. The rear terminals 10- of these main links lid are pivoted to the lowerterminals if] of further links 14 that support guide pins orthe like it at their upper terminals 78 which slidably and pivotally engage slots Bil provided inthe levers 58 adjacent the terminals 56 thereof.

Pivoted on the rear legs 26 are the lower ends 82 of a pair ofrear levers 84 that rigidly support journals 8!; in which there are rotatably mounted rear casters t8 carrying wheels 98. The

upper or free terminals 92 of the rear levers 84 are connected to the main links 64 adjacent the rear terminals 70 of said main links, by pivotal connecting links 94.

Fixed on the standards 28 are the upper terminals 96 of a pair of coil springs 98, the lower ends I of which engage the main links 64 to retain the main links in a normally raised position, the handle bar 62 upon the upper face of the platform adjacent the forward end 43 thereof, and the forward and rear casters in a raised position, as shown best in Figure 1 of the drawings.

To actuate the casters to a lowered position, so that the stand will be supported on the wheels carried by the casters, it is merely necessary to pull the handle bar 62 rearwardly, as shown in Figure 2, whereby the device may be conveniently moved to a position for use. The frames l6 and I2 may be positioned beneath the body of a vehicle [92 with the platform adjacent the side of the vehicle, so as to afford a safe bearing and supporting surface for a user on the platform without the same tipping.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. A portable work stand comprising an elongated frame having supporting legs, a pair of vertically swingable links pivoted on one end of said frame, a further pair of vertically swingable links pivoted on the other end of said frame, a wheel mounted on each link of said pairs of links, a pair of elongated vertically rockable operatingbars'pivotally mounted on the sides of said frame, said bars having forward and rear end portions, pitmans connecting the forward end portions of said bars to said first mentioned pair of links, further pitmans connecting the rear end portions of' said bars to said further pair of links, resilient means terminally attached to said bars and to the frame and yieldingly urging the rear ends of the bars raised, and manually operated means mounted on said frame above the rear ends of the bars and connected to the rear ends of the bars for pivoting the bars to urge the wheels below the lower ends of said legs.

2. A portable work stand comprising an elongated frame having supporting legs, a pair of vertically swingable links pivoted on one end of said frame, a further pair of vertically swingable links pivoted on the other end of said frame, a wheel mounted on each link of said pairs of links, a pair of vertically rockable operating bars pivotally mounted on the sides of said frame, said bars having forward and rear end portions, pitmans connecting the forward end portions of said bars to said first mentioned pair of links, further pitmans connecting the rear end portions of said bars to said further pair of links, resilient means terminally attached to the bars and to the frame urging the rear invention, what is ends of the bars upwardly and holding the wheels above the lower ends of said legs, a pair of levers pivotally secured to said frame, connecting links terminally pivoted to said levers and to the rear end portions of said bars, said levers being manually actuated to pivot the bars and urge the wheels below the lower ends of said lugs.

3. A portable work stand comprising an elongated frame having supporting legs, a pair of links pivoted on one end of said frame, a further pair of links pivoted on the other end of said frame, a wheel mounted on each link of said pairs of links, a pair of operating bars pivotally mounted on the sides of said frame, said bars having forward and rear end portions, means connecting the forward end portions of said bars to said first mentioned pair of links, a further means connecting the rear end portions of said bars to said further pair of links, resilient means terminally attached to the bars and to the frame yieldingly urging the rear ends of the bars raised and holding the wheels above the lower ends of said legs, a pair of levers having lower ends pivoted to said frame, connecting links terminally pivoted to the levers and to rear end portions of said bars, and a hand gripping bar terminally secured to the upper ends of said levers, said hand gripping bar overlying said frame when said wheels are disposed above the lower ends of said legs, said hand gripping bar being moved manually away from said frame to swing the levers and urge the wheels below the lower ends of said legs.

4. A portable work stand comprising an elongated frame, a forward pair of vertically swingable links pivoted intermediate their ends to the frame, a rear pair of vertically swingable links pivoted at one of their ends to the frame, a pair of elongated vertically rockable bars pivoted intermediate their ends to the frame and including forward ends overlying the forward links and rear ends overlying the rear links, a wheel carried by each link of said pairs of links, pitmans connecting the forward ends of the bars to the forward links, additional pitmans connecting the rear ends of the bars to the rear links, a pair of unitary levers pivoted on said frame above said rear ends of said bars for vertical swinging movement, further links terminally pivoted to said levers and the rear ends of said bars, elongated spring members terminally attached to said frame and said bars yieldingly urging the rear ends of said bars raised, and a hand gripping rod terminally secured to said levers.

WILLIAM J. TILTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 827,966 Flake Aug. 7, 1906 979,798 Post Dec. 27, 1910 1,813,890 McWhorter July 7, 1931 1,980,205 Isola Nov. 13, 1934 2,309,214 Rey Jan. 26, 1943 2,380,160 Fieroh July 10, 1945 2,479,736 Fieroh Aug. 23, 1949 2,505,750 Boggs May 2, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 160,404 Switzerland May 1, 1933 

